Surgical fracture reducing appliance



Se t. 10, 1935. E. E. LONGFELLOW 2,014,111

SURGICAL FRACTURE REDUCING APPLIANCE I Filed Jan. 15, 1934 W INVENTOR.

/% Q y ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNHTED ST TES ATEFNT OFFICE SURGICAL FRACTUE QE REDUCING APPLIANCE Earl E. Longfellow, Warsaw, Ind, assignor to Harry Herschel Leiter, Warsaw, Ind.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a surgical fracture reducing appliance, more particularly to apparatus for reducing a fractured forearm and subsequently holding it in a definite position during application of a plaster cast, or for other treatment.

The primary object of the invention is to provide means whereby traction is applied to the bones of the forearm or selectively to the humerus.

The invention further aims to provide a device of this type in which the parts may be easily and quickly manipulated not only to selected positions but also for applying traction to bones of an injured member.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the invention partly broken away and in section;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

In proceeding in accordance with the present invention a base i is provided which has caster wheels 2 and anchor clips 3. A post 4 extends upwardly from the base I and has a telescopic upper section 5 which latter is secured in adjusted position by means of a thumb screw 5. A stem 7 is rotatably and removably received in the upper end of the section 5 and is adjustably held therein by means of a thumb screw 8, the stem carrying a bracket l that has a rock shaft 9 adjustably mounted therein. The inner end of the rock shaft is provided with a tubular member I I in which is received the stem or shank E2 of an arcuate padded arm rest I3, the latter being provided with an anchor strap M to hold the rest in the arm pit of the patient. The outer end of the rock shaft 9 has pivoted thereon two swinging arms 55 and i 3' which are adjustably secured by means of a bolt ii. The arm !5 has an adjustable extension it held in adjusted position by means of a thumb screw ii, and the arm It has an extension !6 held in adjusted positions therein by a thumb screw H.

The outer end of the extension l6 has an upturned member i8 that has adjustably secured therein by means of a thumb screw I9 a post 29 in the upper end of which is positioned a threaded rod 2! which latter is manually rotated by means of a hand-operated member 22.

A hand rest 23 is connected to a rod 24 which latter is telescopically adjustable in a tube 25 that is pivoted at 25 to the upturned member IS on the extension 15. A thumb screw 25 holds the parts 24 and 25 in their extended or contracted positions,

A yoke 21 is connected to the threaded rod 2! by means of a swivel and ring 28 and complemental hook 29. The outer arms of the yoke removably support a skeletal pin 30 that extends through perforations made in the bones of the 5 forearm.

The extension it" has an upright 3! which latter is provided with a telescopic post 32 that is secured in adjusted positions therein by means of a set screw 33. The top of the post 32 has a head 3 in which is disposed a threaded rod 35 having a handle 35 by means of which the rod is adjustably turned. A yoke 36 is attached by means of a swivel and ring 3'! and complemental hook 35 to the threaded rod 35 and has remov- 5 ably secured in its outer ends a skeletal pin 39 that extends through perforations made in the bones of the forearm adjacent the ends thereof opposite the location of the pin or needle 39.

In use, the stem '5 is inserted and secured in the stand and the patient is positioned as shown in Fig. 1 so that the rest 13 is disposed under the arm pit of the injured member where it is held by the strap M which is applied over the shoulder. The arm is bent at the elbow so that the 25 hand of the patient rests upon the member 23. The forearm bones are then pierced and the needles 39 and 39 are inserted therethrough and secured in the respective yokes 2'! and 35. By adjusting the extensions 55 and It in the arms 39 i5 and 15 respectively the yokes are spaced to suit the length of the patients forearm and by manipulating the threaded rods 2| and 35 the desired tension is thereby applied through the medium of the needles to the forearm bones. 35 More or less traction is also applied to the femur bone by positioning the arm I5 at an angle as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 2 and manipulating the threaded rod 35.

The apparatus with the injured arm secured 40 therein may be tilted and held stationary by adjustably turning the rock shaft 9 upon its axis and securing same in its supporting bracket 1' by means of the screw 42, which latter extends through the free ends of the sections 40 of the bracket which sections are pivoted together at 4 l. The bracket 7 has sliding movement on a sleeve 9' which latter is adjustably connected to the rock shaft s by means of a thumb screw 43. When the apparatus is thus secured to the body of the 5 patient and the parts are in adjusted positions, the appliance may be disconnected from the stand by removing the stem 7 from the post 4 while the arm of the patient is held in fixed relation to the torso. A plaster cast is applied in the usual manner after which when desired the appliance is removed from the arm.

It will be apparent that the invention thus embodies two independently swinging frames, composed of the members l5, I6, l8 and 20, and l6, l6", 3| and 32, each frame carrying a supported needle with means to independently apply traction movement thereto, and that the frames, while held fixed in adjusted relation with each other, are bodily tiltable upon the axis of the rock shaft 9.

I claim:

In a fracture apparatus, a stand, a rock shaft carried by the stand, means to adjustably hold the rock shaft, a pair of frames pivoted to the rock shaft for independent swinging movement, means to hold the frames in adjusted positions, a member for each frame having a removable needle, means connected to the members and to the respective frames for applying traction to the needles, and means connected to the rock shaft and including a rest to engage the arm pit of the patient for connecting the rock shaft to the 10 shoulder of the patient.

EARL E. LONGFELLOW. 

